DISTANCE SUITED. Pivotal Pursuit is likely to enjoy the jump to 1400m when he lines up for Race 7 on the Turffontein Standside track tomorrow.
Pivotal Pursuit flew up late to get the better of African Ruler in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1160m at Turffontein last month, winning by 0.40 lengths.
They meet again at Turffontein tomorrow in Race 7, a MR 104 Handicap, but this time it will be over 1400m on the Standside track. African Sky is 0.5kg better off but the distance is likely to favour Gary Alexander’s charge to win again.
African Sky is an unknown factor over this distance. Trainer Paul Peter has only tried his charge over this distance on one occasion, and one has to go back to the Grade 3 Graham Beck Stakes in 2015 to find it. On that occasion he finished seventh, beaten six lengths by Muwaary. Since then he has been restricted to races between 1000m and 1200m and he has done pretty well.
Perhaps as African Ruler has got older he has developed a little bit of additional stamina but that is one thing we know about Pivotal Pursuit – the distance is no concern. The form might show he has been beaten twice in two starts over the course and distance but has won over 1450m on the Inside track and over 1600m on this course.
He gets on well with Andrew Fortune and is drawn well enough at No 7. He does come from off the pace so on his case the draw is of little concern.
A bigger danger could come from Captain Aldo. He finished six lengths behind Pivotal Pursuit over 1450m on the Inside track last year but is now 5.5kg better off.
He won a very good race over the course and distance in December, leading from start to finish and appears to have improved in blinkers.
Craig Zackey gets the ride this time and they have a distinct advantage jumping from No 2 draw. He is coming back from a 93-day break but that should not trouble St John Gray’s runner.
Kings Archer has been in excellent form and last time out he ran New Predator to 0.80 lengths over this course and distance, giving him 1kg. Piere Strydom rode him on that occasion and is back in the irons. Strydom has ridden him five times for one win, three seconds and a third so Stuart Pettigrew’s charge cannot be left out of the reckoning.
Finchatton is an interesting runner. Firstly he is from the Sean Tarry yard who are winning with anything right now.
More relevant is that his merit rating has fallen significantly and he is almost at the same level as when he recorded his last win.
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